The $30,000 necktie

Big Spender: A Father’s Day gift fit for the king of diamonds

Sure, the idea of giving Dad a new necktie for Father’s Day might seem a tad cliché. But what if it’s a designer tie embroidered with diamonds — 100 diamonds, to be exact? Then the cliché becomes a $30,000 work of art. That’s what Stefano Ricci, the Italian design house, has charged for one of its bespoke diamond ties — yes, a made-to-order tie that’s part clothing item, part a piece of jewelry.

It all starts with the man and the brand, of course. Ricci is known for his neckwear — even his “cheap” ties cost around $220. He guides the design and creation of each piece, beginning with his “pencil hand-made sketches” and a palette of some 700 color choices. From there, the brand’s “specialized artisans” craft each tie from “the finest silk yarn.” Indeed, the fabric itself is so singular that it takes one hour to make enough for just two ties, the company says.

But the Diamond Tie adds a bit of bling to the equation. And not just any bling — the designer says it opts for 25-karat, round, brilliant-cut diamonds of high clarity (grade VVS — meaning very, very slightly included — the category for diamonds with minute inclusions or “internal characteristics”). Still, a lot depends on what the customer wants — more bling equals more money, naturally. But either way, the brand promises plenty of attention to detail and justifies the price as being, well, the price of business. “This bespoke tie requires extensive work as each diamond is carefully embroidered to the tie,” says Ricci spokeswoman Stephanie A. de Deersmaeker.

The reality:

Ricci’s ties win plenty of praise from fashion pros. But even some of them question the sense of a $30,000 one: It might be a work of art, but it’s not exactly a garment dad can wear to the office — or practically anyplace except an event that demands the proverbial Big Statement (say, a royal wedding?). “This is something you buy to say, ‘I can afford to wear diamonds on my chest,’ says Grant Harris, a Washington, D.C.-based style consultant.

Big Spender: The $30,000 Tie

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Sure, the idea of giving dad a new necktie for Father’s Day might seem a tad cliché. But what if it’s a designer tie embroidered with 100 diamonds? Photo: Stefano Ricci

So, what kind of tie makes sense as a Father’s Day gift? Most pros say that silk is the go-to fabric — ideally, of good body and “a tight weave so little filaments or strings don’t show at the bottom or on the tie front,” says Dick Lerner, author of “Dress Like the Big Fish.” Bold designs can be colorful and amusing, but they can also read as gimmicky. So, conservative stripes — like red and blue, or green and blue — or a solid color are always a safer bet, especially for the dad who’s over 40. As Matt Eventoff, a communication strategist in Princeton, N.J., points out, there’s a reason presidential candidates usually opt for solids at a debate. It’s about the message the tie “doesn’t send…no politician wants tomorrow’s story to focus on neckwear,” Eventoff says.

Oh, and be careful about width, fashion pros say. “Don’t go too skinny or too wide,” says Brian Mazza, co-founder of Windsor Custom, a New York tailoring house. Slimmer ties (cut under 3-inches wide) may be trendy, but trends can change. Meanwhile, “the 3.5-inch will never go out of style,” says Christopher Berre, co-founder of the Artfully Dishveled neckwear company.

Still, if you want to get a little more creative, you might consider a knit tie — it’s classic enough to appeal to old-fashioned dads (especially in a traditional blue color) and fashionable enough to appeal to hipster dads. A bow tie is another option, says fashion blogger Nancy Brenner. It’s “making a serious comeback” and is no longer “just for academics,” she says.

As for price, ties under $50 may be popular, but they may also be made from lesser-quality materials (thinner silk or polyester) and reflect inferior construction, the pros say. They suggest a sweet spot of up to about $250 for serious neckwear. “A quality tie will run you a minimum of $100,” says Brian Lipstein, president of Henry A. Davidsen, an image consultancy firm in Philadelphia. As for quality designers, Lipstein cites many of the same brand names that other pros do, including Brioni, Hermès, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Etro and Kiton. And Ricci has its fans as well.

But are fans willing to spend $30,000 for a tie, especially when Ricci offers plenty of alternatives in the low triple-digits? Apparently so. The brand says it’s sold three of its bespoke diamond ties to date in the U.S.

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